Ty Burrell to Star in THE MUPPETS Sequel; Christoph Waltz Out

Casting is underway on the sequel to Disney’s The Muppets, and Modern Family star Ty Burrell is the first actor to officially sign on to the project. We previously heard that Christoph Waltzwas in talks to play an Interpol agent in the Europe-set follow-up, but the actor’s schedule forced him to drop out of the running. Heat Vision reports that Burrell will now take over the role, with The Muppets director James Bobin returning to direct from a script he co-wrote with Nicholas Stoller.

Plot details are under wraps, but we know that the pic is a caper and production is set to begin early next year in London. In addition to Burrell’s Interpol agent, the story also involves a Russian Femme Fatale.We should hear more casting news soon as the production’s start date looms closer. The untitled Muppets sequel is set for release on December 20, 2013.